MUSCAT, DEC 18
Oman hockey powerhouse Ahli Sidab will target their 13th title while dark horses Sohar aim their second trophy when both the teams clash in the final of 53rd His Majesty’s Cup hockey championship on Tuesday.
Sayyid Saud bin Hilal al Busaidy, Governor of Muscat, will be chief guest for the final to be held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher at 7 pm.
In the semifinals, last year’s runner-ups Ahli Sidab edged Salalah 2-1 and Sohar prevailed over defending champions Al Nasr 5-4 in an exciting match.
Ahli Sidab head coach Ayman al Kathiri said the team is fully ready for the showdown.
“We want to complete the domestic double after winning the Oman Hockey League. Last year we lost in the final of HM’s Cup. This year, we are ready for the challenge again, Ayman told a pre-match press conference at the Oman Olympic Committee headquarters on Monday.
“Our players are all ready and raring to go in the final. We had some really exciting matches in this year’s tournament. The players showed their experience and skill in reaching the final,” Al Kathiri said.
Ahli Sidab captain Rashad al Fazari said the team is confident of a good show.
“We are prepared for an excellent outing in the final. We want to win the coveted trophy after our junior teams excelled in the OHA’s age-group competitions,” Rashad told Oman Daily Observer.
The star Oman player said the technical standards of the game is rising every year in the country.
“It will be a tight match but we are confident of getting through,” Al Fazari added.
SOHAR IN FULL STRENGTH
Sohar head coach Abdulrahman al Balushi said his side has the plan to derail Ahli Sidab’s run in the tournament.
“We will employ some good plan against Ahli Sidab in the final. Our players are capable of stopping Ahli Sidab’s run in the championship,” Abdulrahman said.
The Sohar team is in good strength this edition with the presence of several players who earlier played for other clubs.
“We have got our good players who earlier featured in other clubs. So, technically we are up for the challenge. And in terms of foreign players we have one player each from India, Argentina and Egypt,” the coach added.
Former Oman captain Younis al Noufali said his team is a mixture of youth and experience.
“We will deliver a good performance in the title-clash. The boys are eager to clinch a second HM’s Cup for the club,” the Sohar captain said.
Sohar won their only title in 2021 edition when they beat Ahli Sidab 2-1 in penalties after a 1-1 draw at regulation time.
Ten clubs participated in this edition of the competition: Ahli Sidab, Seeb, Sohar, Al Ittihad, Mirbat, Al Nasr, Muscat, Salalah, Dhofar and Saham. The Oman Hockey Association’s Competitions Committee employed a new format for the HM’s Cup this year.
The clubs were divided into two groups -- Elite Group and Challenge Group -- based on the general classification criteria for the clubs participating in the 2022 competitions, as well as the 2023 General Hockey League, and according to the latest updates in the international competitions in force in the Asian and international federations.
The HM’s Cup hockey championship is the oldest tournament of Oman established in 1971.
The champions of the 53rd edition will receive the cup, 30 gold medals, and a financial reward of RO 40,000, while the second-place team will receive 30 silver medals and RO 25,000 and the third-place team gets bronze medals and RO 15,000. The best player, top scorer and best goalkeeper will also receive awards and a cash prize of RO 100.
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